Promdate
by CarsonGermany
Summary: Ludwig turns Gilbert down to go to prom for fear of taunts at school. Gilbert quickly accepts Ivan on the offer, which breaks Ludwig's heart, and in turn, breaks Gilbert's. Gilbert tries to win Ludwig back before prom.  Germancest and some PrussiaRussia
1. Chapter 1

The dull pain smacked Ludwig's leg again. He flicked his eyes to the white-haired boy next to him, who was trying too hard to look attentive to the pre-calculus teacher in the front. Ludwig rolled his eyes and returned to taking notes on vectors. And again, he felt the whap on his leg. This time, he returned it. Hard.

"Ow!" Gilbert yelped, grabbing his leg. Ludwig stifled his laugh under his hand and looked away, only to notice that all eyes were on the two stepbrothers. The blonde turned bright red and looked down, waiting for the whispers that happened every time Gilbert and him became the center or attention.

Ever since Ludwig's stepbrother came out of the closet to their high school, the rumors started. And spread. Almost everyone in school believed that the two German stepbrothers were lovers. What Ludwig didn't like was how true the all were. They had been secretly dating for a year now. It was fine until Gilbert came out. When peers started questioning the way they always teased each other, how close they were, when they hugged so tight in the hallway. Classmates noticed the loving looks in their eyes when they shared secrets or passed notes. It was terrible. Ludwig hated the looks they got when they snuck out to the courtyard during lunch period, holding hands under the table.

They knew they couldn't come out as a couple. It wouldn't be accepted in a school that gave up clubs so they wouldn't have a Gay Straight Alliance. Gilbert got taunted every day since he came out. He shrugged off the students' sneers of "faggot" and "fairy." But Ludwig knew it bothered him. Gilberte never cried in front of his brother, but Ludwig could hear hi late at night, his quiet breathing hiccupped by the tears. Ludwig pretended to be asleep. He knew his brother would be furious if he thought Ludwig knew he cried.

The pre-calculus teacher coughed, bringing the class's attention back to the front. The blonde glared at the white haird boy, who glared back with his dark pink eyes.

"I hate you," Ludwig mouthed.

"No you don't," Gilbert mouthed back, smirking, to which Ludwig looked back to the front of the class, the blush still on his cheeks.

"Why'd you hit me?" Gilbert whined indignantly as the brothers walked home. Ludwig ignored his question, looking over his shoulder as they turned down the ally away from school. After establishing that no one was following them, he entwined his fingers with Gilbert, who leaned up and kissed the blonde on the cheek. Ludwig smirked and turned slightly red, looking be hind him every few minutes as Gilbert talked about his stupid fucking English teacher. When they got him, Ludwig fished in his pocket for the key. He dug it out and shoved it in the lock. Before he could turn it, Gilbert grabbed the tie Ludwig wore for his school's uniform and forcefully pressed his lips against Ludwig's. The blonde's eyes shot open. One year of dating and they had not once kissed on the lips. Ludwig always thought about it, but never had the courage for it. He closed his eyes, kissing the older boy gently, his hands pressed against Gilbert's waist. They stood there for a few minutes, eyes closed and lips locked. Ludwig felt his heartbeat in his fingertips. Gilbert pulled away and smirked at his younger brother.

"I wasn't gonna just sit around and wait for you forever, you know," he said, reaching up and running his hand through his bother's slicked-back hair lovingly. Ludwig's hands shook as he turned the key and walked into their house. The turned to his step brother who had already thrown his book back on the floor and was looking up at the taller boy. Ludwig set his backpack on the floor neatly next to his brother, and just as he stood, Gilbert threw his arms around Ludwig's neck and kissed him fiercly on the lips. Ludwig closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Gilbert's waist, kissing him back.

That night, Gilbert didn't cry himself to sleep, but instead nuzzled his head into Ludwig's chest, their arms entwined. The white haired boy listened to his brother's steady breathing until he was exhausted and closed his eyes, a huge smile on his lips.

"Prom?" Gilbert's handwriting was scribbled on the sticky note above their bed. Ludwig opened his eyes to the radio blasting at 6:30 AM as always to get ready for school. To his surprise, Gilbert was already awake. He heard the shower running and Gilbert's voice humming some tune. Ludwig rolled out of bed and shook his head, getting the hair out of his eyes. He slipped a white tee shirt on and his school shirt over it, buttoning it up. He ran a brush through his hair and slicked it back just ask Gilbert walked out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist. He walked up behind Ludwig and kissed his cheek.

"Put some pants on," he whispered and licked his neck. Ludwig shivered and shrugged his step brother off, wiping his skin with his sleeve.

"Gross," he said, mocking disgust. Gilbert laughed as he turned and let the towel fall. Ludwig blushed and turned away, fumbling with his tie and school jacket.

"So?" he head Gilbert ask. Ludwig turned around cautiously, prepared to turn away if Gilbert's manhood was still exposed. It wasn't, he was wearing Gears of War boxers and tugging on the school uniform slacks.

"So what?" Ludwig asked, finishing buttoning his jacket.

"Prom?" Gilbert asked, gesturing to the sticky note that was still over the bed.

"Oh, that," Ludwig said, slipping his notebooks into his bag. "I dunno Gil. That might give everything away." The blonde got nervous just thinking about the taunts. He looked over to Gilbert, who looked a little like a deflated balloon now.

"I can't believe I got rejected to prom by my boyfriend," he said. Ludwig rolled his eyes at his brother's guilt trip act, which never worked. He walked over and kissed his brother's forehead gently and smiled.

"I'm not ready to give it away, bruder," he said softly. The white haired boy sighed.

"Me either," he whispered, leaning up and kissing his brother's lips. He closed his eyes and pulled away, grabbing a shirt off the pile of clothes that was strewn across his side of the bed. He threw it over his head and grabbed the school jacket, not bothering with the tie, and headed out the door, Ludwig trailing him.


	2. Chapter 2

Period 1 was always Gilbert's least favorite period. Not for any reason other than it was the only period he didn't have with Ludwig. He slumped into the english classroom and sat down, pulling out his book and hoping he could finish the homework he never got to do. After about 2 minutes, he noticed a shadow pass over his paper and the room quiet. He looked up, expecting to see the lard that was his English teacher, but instead saw Ivan, the oddly cold, childish boy who sat next to him.

"Uh... hey, Ivan," he said, looking up at the very tall Russian. Ivan smiled, slightly.

"Hello Gilbert," he said. Gilbert blinked as Ivan stared down at him. The German sneered.

"What?" he asked. He was never one to be friendly.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go to prom with me," Ivan said cheerfully. Gilbert dropped his pencil.

"What?" he asked, not hiding the shock in his voice. Ivan simply blushed.

"Of course he doesn't, Ivan," a blonde boy, Alfred, said, wrapping his arm around Gilbert's neck and rubbing his head with his knuckles. "He's going with _Ludwig!_" The American spat, laughing hysterically along with his troupe of friends. Gilbert shrugged out from under him, turning red with anger.

"I am not!" Ludwig is my brother!" he said. but the group of boys kept laughing, and Ivan had already quietly taken his seat, looking down at his book. GIlbert defiantly stood up and sat on Ivan's desk. "Sure I'll go to prom with you Ivan." he said, making sure he was louder than the laughing boys. Ivan looked up and the room turned silent.

"Really, da?" the Russian asked. Gilbert just swallowed hard and nodded. Ivan smiled as the teacher waddled through the door, and the German boy jumped back into his chair, thinking only of Ludwign and how he would take the news.

* * *

The information naturally spread like wild fire. Gilbert barely got to his locker before he felt Ludwig's strong hand on his shoulder.

"Is it true?" he asked. Gilbert laughed uneasily, trying to lighten the mood.

"W-well yeah!: he said, smirking at the taller blonde. "I asked you this morning and you rejected me!" He smiled, but it quickly faded when he saw his brother's eyes. They weren't filled with anger, but with hurt and the edges were brimming with tears. "L-Lud?" Gilbert reached out for his hand, but Ludwig just turned away, running down he hallway, leaving Gilbert standing there alone,. The silver haired german sighed, deciding he'd talk to his step brother in a period or two, give him time.

But Ludwig wasn't in his next class, or the class after. GIlbert felt sick to his stomach with worry. It was his job, not his brother's, to skip class. At lunch time, Gilbert decided to swallow his pride and talk to Ludwig's dweeby friends. He walked up to the Italian who's name escaped him.

"Oh, he went home sick!" the brown hair boy smiled brightly.

"Sick?" Gilbert asked. Kiku, the japanese that was in Gilbert's gym class, nodded.

"I heard he wasn't feeling well right before 2nd period, so the teacher sent him to the nurse," Kiku said quietly. Gilbert couldn't believe it. He shook his head and backed away from the table. His brother _never _got sick. Let alone skip school because of it. Something was seriously wrong. He sank his head into his hands. He had seriously fucked up this time.

* * *

The rest of the day blurred by, Gilbert simply waiting until the last bell so he could get home to his brother. It seemed like everyone in the school came up and asked him about his prom-date with Ivan. He cringed more and more as the questions got more and more personal and the rumors got more and more false. By the end of the day, Gilbert found himself screaming at a girl he'd never met before that no, he didn't fuck Ivan over the weekend. Gilbert slammed his locker shut and soared down the stairs in the front of the school. He raced the wind down the ally to the house he shared with his brother. He grabbed the door handle and shoved it open, stumbling in and throwing his backpack on the ground next to the door. He ran upstairs, hopping five steps at a time.

"Lud?" he called as he ran up to the door and grabbed the door handle. He tried turning it, but it was locked. He tried again, catching his breath and rolling his eyes. "Real mature." He heard his brother moving, walking up to the door.

"What do you want?" Ludwig's voice sounded strange. Higher pitched and ragged, like he'd been crying. Gilbert sighed.

"I want to talk to you, you dweeb," he smirked, hoping Ludwig would be more humorous than before. Apparently, he wasn't.

"Fuck off," was the response Gilbert heard. _That_ pissed him off. He beat on the door with the side of his fists.

"Don't tell me to fuck off! You're the one that didn't want to go to prom with me!" he yelled at the wall.

"Cause I don't want everyone to know about us!" Ludwig called back. "If there still _is_ an 'us'!"

"Of course there is, you stupid bastard! _You_ locked the fucking door!" Gilbert said, shaking the lock again. "Besids, I was doing it to _protect us!_" Gilbert listened for a yell back. Instead he heard Ludwig's soft voice.

"Protect how?" the blonde asked. Gilbert sighed.

"When Ivan asked me, I first said no. But then Alfred started telling kids it was because I was going with you," he explained, running his hand through his hair. "I didn't have a choice, Lud." THer wasn't a response fore a while. Gilbert thought he had won and waited for the lock to click and the door to pen, but it didn't.

"You could have said no, Gil," Ludwig siad. Gilbert clenched his fists, anger rising in him.

"GOTT, Ludwig! Stop being so FUCKING headstrong!" he screamed and stormed downstairs, threw open the front door and slammed it behind him before collapsing into sobs.


	3. Chapter 3

Ludwig stayed upstairs the whole evening. Gilbert went inside and actually did his homework, too angry and hurt to go out. He cooked a frozen dinner in the microwave and ate it, watching Say Yes To The Dress on TV. But after a few episodes, he got tired of watching happy couples walk down the isle. He flipped off the T, heated up another frozen meal, and walked upstairs.

"I brought you dinner," Gilbert said quietly. Ludwig didn't respond, so Gilbert left it outside the door. When he came back upstairs later to get a blanket, the dinner had stayed there, untouched and uneaten. He picked it up.

"Fine, starve, bitch," he spat through the door. He heard Ludwig laugh dryly. It wasn't his usual deep, bright laugh, but shallow and angry. The white haired boy sighed as he threw tray out, grabbed an extra blanket from the closet, and stormed downstairs. He swallowed the angry knot in his throat, refusing to cry himself to sleep as he flopped down on the couch, wrapping the blanket around him. It only took a minute, however, for his resolve to disintegrate and he felt hot tears run down his cheeks.

He opened his eyes to a large, heavy object falling on his shoulders. He groaned and pushed his book-bag off him and opened his eyes. He could still feel the red swelling in this eyes from crying. Ludwig was in the kitchen, drinking coffee and staring out he window.

"Get up," he said, not looking at Gilbert. The older boy sat up and looked down, noticing that he slept in his school clothes. He stood, patting the wrinkles out of his jacket with his hands. He looked up at Ludwig, who's eyes were also red, with dark grey smudges under them. Were it any other day, Gilbert would joke and ask him how he slept, but tensions were clearly too high for that. He grabbed a travel mug and poured some coffee, picking up his backpack and heading for the door, not bothering to turn and wait for Ludwig. He jumped down the front steps and started walking. He heard his younger brother lock the front door and walk behind him. Gilbert felt the blue eyes on the back of his head, but he kept walking, his eyes glued to the familiar road ahead of him. But this road wasn't familiar. It was only familiar when Ludwig was beside him, their fingers locked. Gilbert walked slower, hoping that ludwig would catch up and walk next to him. They didn't have to speak, he just wanted to feel his brother next to him. But when Gilbert slowed, so did Ludwig. The white skinned boy pressed on, disheartened by how his younger brother was just as stubborn as himself.

They arrived at school and went to their lockers, which were directly next to each other. Gilbert angrily shoved binders into the small space, crumpling papers that got in the way. He felt a shiver down his spine and turned around, looking downt he hallway to see Ivan and his two sisters, Natalya and and Katrina. Natalya shot Gilbert a deathglare as he kissed her brother on the cheek and turned into a classroom, her long hair swishing by her waist. Katrina, Ivan's short-haired, large-chested, sister, whoever, rand down the hallway, past Gilbert, and jumped into Ludwig's arms, kissing him on the cheek. The blond boy smiled and laughed, harshly.

"Hey Katrina," he said, holding her up off the ground with one hand, the other brushing her hair out of her face. Gilbert stared in shock.

"Hi, baby!" she said, smiling. He set her down gently and she grapped his collar, pulling him down into a passionate kiss on the lips. "How did you sleep?" she asked after pulling away.

"Just fine," Ludwig said, smiling. Gilbert could only stare as he took her hand and walked away with Katrina, down to their first period English clas.

"He asked her to prom last night," Ivan said, appearing beside Gilbert, who jumped at his sudden presence. "She's been calling him her boyfriend since."

"Boyfriend?" Gilbert said, whipping around to face the tall Russian. Ivan simply nodded, smiling at Gilbert. The German stared back down the hallway, not knowing if he flet more hurt or angry. His face contorted into a sneer.

"Fine," he said under his breath. Ivan blinked.

"What?" the Russian asked. Gilbert said nothing, instead, he took Ivan's hand and half walked, half dragged Ivan to English, making sure everyone in the hallway saw that their hands were clasped.

"Gilbert... Gilbert... GIL!" Ivan said, grabbing his wrist. The shorter boy looked up, eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" he barked, throwing his book bag down on the chair.

"You're hurting my hand, da," Ivan said, wiggling his fingers that were still clasped by Gilbert's hand. Gilbert let go quickly and wiped the sweat off his palm.

"S-sorry," he said. He watched the teacher waddle around the front of the room for a moment, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to face Francis, the class flirt that always had two girls hanging off him. He leaned forward.

"Are you and Ivan really dating?" he asked, his strong French accent slurring his worlds. Ivan opened his mouth to say no, but Gilbert cut him off.

"Of course we are," Gilbert said. He shot Ivan a look, and the tall Russian blinked, then smiled at Francis, who smirked and touched Gilbert's cheek, winking at him.

"_Tres adorable,_" he whispered. GIlbert couched and turned his face back towards the front, feeling more and more nauseous as the minutes ticked by.

Gilbert walked out of english class, clutching Ivan's hand. When they got to his locker, Gilbert turned around, looking up to face him.

"You're my boyfriend now," he stated, not bothering to ask. Ivan nodded and smiled.

"Okay," he said, brightly. "But why?"

"Because, uh, I like you why else?" Gilbert asked, turning around and yanking books out of his locker.

"No you don't," Ivan said, pulling his hand out Gilbert's. The red-eyed boy whipped around.

"S-sure I do!" Gilbert said, defensivly. Ivan simply shook his head ask Ludwig approached, hand in hand with Katrina. Gilbert cringed and turned his head, wrapping his arms around Ivan's waist. Ivan froze, then wrapped his arms and the shorter boy's shoulders, smiling down at him until Ludwig and Katrina walked by. Gilbert dropped his arms at the same time as Ivan and sighed.

"You're right, I don't like you," he said, looking away. "Not like _that_ at least." Ivan nodded silently. They stood there for a few minutes before the taller Russian put his hand on Gilbert's shoulder. Gilbert didn't look up.

"What are you hiding, da?" Ivan asked softly. The white haired boy didn't look at Ivan, but instead turned his head towards the hallway that Ludwig and Katrina just walked down. Ivan followed his gaze and sighed. "You love him."

"I do no-" Gilbert started to say but cut himself off. Ludwig was his life. THe counterpart to his bull-headed ego and outward personality. His arms were Gilbert's home. The only place he ever really felt he belonged. For over a year now Ludwig had been his guardian, his protector, his best friend, his everything. Ivan was right. Gilbert swallowed hard. "Yeah. I do love him." he whispered. Ivan said nothing, but instead put his arm aound Gilbert's shoulder and walked im down the hallway, out the school, and off campus.

"Where are we going?" Gilbert asked, staring at his feet.

"My house, da. You need some vodka," Ivan said, not brightly like usual, but not his usual cold self, either. Gilbert just nodded. Alcohol could definitely do him some good.


	4. Chapter 4

They sat in Ivan's kitchen quietly. His house was huge, with plenty of locked rooms and dark hallways that the German was sure he'd get lost in by himself.

"Do you live here by yourself?" Gilbert asked, drinking the harsh, clear liquid in the glass. He felt the tingling warmth in this stomach and started feeling a little better. Ivan took a sip fromt he bottle and opened the refridgerator.

"No, Katrina and Natalia live here too, sometimes," he said, grabbing some other bottles with Russian characters and started mixing them in two different glasses.

"Sometimes?" the paler boy asked.

"Usually Katrina stays with friends. Natalya on the other hand, hardly leaves my side," he said, laughing darkly.

"She looks up to you," Gilbert said, downing his glass and putting it down.

"I guess, da," Ivan said, switching the empty glass with a new full one. "Sometimes it seems like she more... wants me."

"But she's your sister," Gilbert said, taking a sip of the new drink in front of him.

"Step-sister," Ivan corrected, drinking a few swigs of his drink as well. Gilbert only nodded and spipped the new, sweeter drink. He still felt the slight burn of alcohol, but it was accompanied by a tart, sweetened flavor he couldn't place.

"What is this?" he asked, swishing the liquid, clinking the ice cubes in it together.

"Blueberry vodka and mixed with Fresca," he said, his normal brightness coming back, along with a pink hue to his cheeks. "I made it myself last year. Do you like it, da?"

"Yeah, it's good," Gilbert chugged down the rest of his glass, and Ivan swiftly mixed him a fresh glass.

* * *

"So we need a plan," Ivan said an hour and 6 glasses later. They were both laying on his living room floor, Ivan's glass empty and Gilbert's almost empy in his hand. Gilbert flopped onto his back, chuggin down the last few sips in his glass.

"Fer wha?" he asked, throwing the glass down next to him and looking up at Ivan's violet eyes.

"For telling Ludwig you love him," Ivan said, his voice not as slurred as Gilbert's, who simply frowned.

"Fuck it," he said. "He doesn't love me back. Wassa point?"

"You don't know that," Ivan said, also flippin onto his back, the top of his head just barely touching Gilbert's. He paused, then quietly asked, "Were the rumors about you and him true?" Gilbert sat up and looked at Ivan, mouth open. But then he closed it and crawled clumsily to his side, flopping down next to him.

"Promise not to tell?" he asked. Ivan nodded. "Yeah. We were together for a year."

"Really? That long, da?"

"Yeah."

"And I ruined it all?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Yeah."

Gilbert sighed, flopping onto his back next to Ivan. "S'alright I guess. Ya didn't do it on purpose, didja?"

"No," Ivan said, looking away. He was quiet for a moment. "Katrina really likes him."

"I can tell," Gilbert said, tapping his finger against his glass.

"Yeah. I wonder if our plan will end up breaking her heart," Ivan said.

"Ya know ya don't hafta do anything."

"Yeah I do."

"Why?"

"I want you to be happy," Ivan said simply, looking at Gilbert. The red-eyed boy sat up and looked at him skeptically.

"Why?" he asked coutiously. Ivan stared, unblinking at him for a moment before a knowing smile hovered on his lips.

"Haven't you figured that out yet?" he asked softly. "I love you, Gilbert."

A strange mixture of shock, confusion, horror, and understanding spread across the white haired boy's face. Ivan nodded, smiled, and looked back at the cieling as if he had just said something as casual as the wallpaper was nice.

"B-but... what?" Gilbert sputtered, digging his fingers into the floor boards. "You never talk to me! Not before yesterday! I didn't think you liked me at all!" Ivan just shrugged.

"I do. A lot," he said. "So naturally I want you to be happy. Ludwig will make you happy, right?"

"Yeah," he looked away. "What about you?"

"I'll be happy if you're happy," Ivan said, smiling. "Besides, I'm used to being alone." Gilbert said nothing in response, but instead lay down next to Ivan and closed his eyes.

"I don't want to face Ludwig yet," he whispered. He wasn't sure why he was okay with acting like this with Ivan/ Now knowing Ivan's feelings, he felt like his normal arrogant mask wasn't necessary.

"It's okay, da," Ivan said softly. "You can stay here a while if you want." Gilbert said nothing, too tired by the lack of sleep and new information he absorbed today and the intozication from the vodka. SO instead he nodded, and let himself drift off, feeling Ivan's cold hand touch his cheek just before he fells sound asleep.


End file.
